Anyone With Experience of Sprained Ankles?

[Orikoru]

Sprained my ankle two and a half weeks ago. The bruising has mostly gone but it's developed into a constant ache now - if anything it hurt less this time last week than it does now. Getting frustrated with it - is it meant to get worse before it gets better? What else can I be doing to speed it up? I put ice on it each night for 20 minutes. It's hard to rest it any more when my normal work commute involves a good 20 minutes of walking in each direction (but at work I sit at a desk all day at least). I'm missing playing football big time, and getting fat into the bargain!

 

[Old Skier]

Seek professional advice bud, could be ligament damage or even a minor break.

 

[User20205]

you’ve probably strained the ligaments also, and still full of fluid. Mine used to go a lot when I played rugby. Strap it up and try a wobble board which are good for strengthening and getting range of movement back. They can take a month or so.

 

[Orikoru]

Seek professional advice bud, could be ligament damage or even a minor break.

Very low chance of it being broken - I can put weight on it and get around ok, it just aches. And a sprain is ligament damage by definition isn't it?

I sprained my other ankle 9 years ago, that was much worse than this one, I woke up not able to move it and in agony so went for an x-ray and even that wasn't broken.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Sprained my ankle two and a half weeks ago. The bruising has mostly gone but it's developed into a constant ache now - if anything it hurt less this time last week than it does now. Getting frustrated with it - is it meant to get worse before it gets better? What else can I be doing to speed it up? I put ice on it each night for 20 minutes. It's hard to rest it any more when my normal work commute involves a good 20 minutes of walking in each direction (but at work I sit at a desk all day at least). I'm missing playing football big time, and getting fat into the bargain!

I've done my ankle so many times it's ridiculous. The truth is if you've severely sprained it, it'll never be 100% again and always more susceptible to another injury. I used to play a lot of football and have had to give up completely as my ankle can go in the most innocuous of tackles.

My advice would be to go to a physio - after the last severe sprain I had it just wasn't recovering itself and I was frequently in pain. In fact, I had to walk off the golf course during H4H as it was just getting silly. Went to a physio after that, got some exercises to rehab it and that made a big difference.

 

[Orikoru]

you’ve probably strained the ligaments also, and still full of fluid. Mine used to go a lot when I played rugby. Strap it up and try a wobble board which are good for strengthening and getting range of movement back. They can take a month or so.

I've been wearing a support bandage - well I have two actually which I've swapped between since I'm not really sure which one is better. As for exercises I'm doing the ones I was told last time I sprained an ankle - one is simply standing on one leg for a minute as balancing works the muscles and tendons. The other is spelling the alphabet with your big toe to get the full range of movement.

 

[Orikoru]

I've done my ankle so many times it's ridiculous. The truth is if you've severely sprained it, it'll never be 100% again and always more susceptible to another injury. I used to play a lot of football and have had to give up completely as my ankle can go in the most innocuous of tackles.

My advice would be to go to a physio - after the last severe sprain I had it just wasn't recovering itself and I was frequently in pain. In fact, I had to walk off the golf course during H4H as it was just getting silly. Went to a physio after that, got some exercises to rehab it and that made a big difference.

The other ankle I sprained 9 years ago felt week for ages, but I don't notice any problems with it these days. I'm skipping football again this weekend, and next weekend I'm away anyway, but I reckon if it still hurts by then I'll have to find a physio as you say.

 

[Piece]

I've had several sprained ankles over the years. One was very bad in that I couldn't play any sport for over nine months!

The answer in my experience is that there's no definitive short cut, just management of the ankle and lots of patience. Especially true if there's ligament damage.

Thing that can help initially is the P.R.I.C.E. method, which sounds like you are doing or have done. Anti-inflammatories can help reduce swelling. Gentle warming up before activity also helps manage it, but recommend you 'walk before you run', , meaning don't give yourself a major set-back by doing things too soon. Think about ankle supports too. You can also do specific exercises to strengthen - take pro/Dr advice before starting though.

 

[Orikoru]

I've had several sprained ankles over the years. One was very bad in that I couldn't play any sport for over nine months!

The answer in my experience is that there's no definitive short cut, just management of the ankle and lots of patience. Especially true if there's ligament damage.

Thing that can help initially is the P.R.I.C.E. method, which sounds like you are doing or have done. Anti-inflammatories can help reduce swelling. Gentle warming up before activity also helps manage it, but recommend you 'walk before you run', , meaning don't give yourself a major set-back by doing things too soon. Think about ankle supports too. You can also do specific exercises to strengthen - take pro/Dr advice before starting though.

I haven't run since I did it, bar when I nearly missed my train! Running isn't even an option yet, would be more of a quick hobble.

 

[Old Skier]

Very low chance of it being broken - I can put weight on it and get around ok, it just aches. And a sprain is ligament damage by definition isn't it?

Ive personally know people walk and used broken limbs and there is a difference between serious damage to a ligament or just a slight sprain, you said the pain was getting worse which led to my suggestion that you might want to peruse professional advice.

 

[USER1999]

Did mine two and a half years ago, and it is still far from right.

 

[JT77]

I played football from a young age, have had more sprains and twists than I care to remember, unfortunately I never gave my body the chance to heal properly, just taped them up and played on. I had another sprain back when I was 25, after repeatedly going over on my ankles, being kicked etc whilst playing, went to the hospital one monday as was stuggling when I got out of bed, the doc said there was ligament damage to both ankles, most likely caused by years of misuse, he advised that I stop playing football or other high impact sports for about 3-6 months, then go from there. Obviously being 25 I thought I knew best, so after a month of boredom, I started playing again, strapped up ankles etc, was ok for the first game back, and felt ok, second game back, ball came across the box, my left foot planted, the rest of me turned, the result was a spiral fracture dislocation to my left ankle and shin, foot was the wrong way round, all the tendons and ligaments had snapped and my shin was in 4 pieces! 2 plates, 16 screws, a 9 hour operation, and 4 subsequent ops later, and 14+ years, I still get pain and soreness, I can run now, but I no longer play football, played twice 6 months after the op and the swelling and pain was awful so knocked it on the head and took up golf!
The morale of the story, get it checked, listen to what they say and follow that advice, as bad as it may sound, it could be a lot worse if you persist.
good luck getting it right!

 

[Orikoru]

Wow. That's some story. At 31 I don't quite have age on my side either in football terms. I'm certainly not going to go back and play while it's still hurting anyway, done that too many times with other injuries in the past.

 

[Kellfire]

It could be a break, easily. The ligament can detach from the bone and take some bone with it - an avulsion fracture.

It’s more likely a bad sprain but even they can require surgery. Being able to put weight on it definitely doesn’t mean you haven’t done serious damage.

It’s much worse to let it heal incorrectly and then try to correct it than get it checked out now. Go to A&E. Get it checked out and let them assess the movement and areas of tenderness. It’s not worth the long term risks of ligament laxity and post traumatic arthritis.

 

[clubchamp98]

My son cracked his Tallis bone in a tackle.
He Thought it was just a strain , after two days I made him go get X-ray in a&e where he works.
Surgeon told him if he hadn’t come in when he did he would have lost his foot.
I done my ankle couple of weeks ago and went straight to a&e chipped bone but ok.

Moral is go get it checked !

 

[jim8flog]

I have sprained my ankles literally dozens of times. My experience is once they go once they are very likely to go again, all though mine is largely due to a misaligned left leg after an accident.

As with any sprain the advice is RICE.
Rest Ice Compression Exercise.

The ice bit I do slightly different I have two buckets one with hot water and the other with iced water. Alternate between the two 3 minutes at a time 5 repetitions.

Exercise - cycling is probably the best.

I use anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (400mg) extensively. Make sure to read the leaflets and always take just after or with food and a maximum of 7 days in a row.

 

[fundy]

Did mine last summer, was sure it just a bad sprain, not as bad as plenty of other times when I had been playing rugby etc. 6 days later ended up in A&E had an Xray to find Id broken the bone. Couldnt treat it for a week due to the increased swelling then boot for 5 weeks then physio and rehab, made it far worse by hobbling on it for nearly a week

Def worth getting checked if it isnt healing as you think it should. Would also recommend seeing a sports rehab physio for one session as they will give you exercises to do based on what restrictions or limitations in movement it has given. Its important to get the range of movement back as much as possible as early as possible

 

[Old Skier]

As with any sprain the advice is RICE.
Rest Ice Compression Exercise.

Or better still

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevate

 

[fundy]

Interestingly, the one thing that had definitely changed from when ive injured lower limbs previously was the physio was adamant to get me using it as soon as possible (rather than it being completely immobilised for several weeks as previously)

Advice has definitely changed away from resting it completely as used to be and towards getting movement into the joint as soon as possible (albeit not weight bearing or at least wasnt in my casE)

 

[mikevet]

Damaged ligaments can take 6 weeks to several months to heal, depending on the amount of damage. A bad sprain may also result in damaged articular cartilage. Whichever, it needs to be checked out to avoid it becoming a chronic, ie long-term, problem, and 20 minutes walking is definitely not a good idea, but strapping it up will help support it if that is really unavoidable.